James McQuivey of Forrester Research, the author of ‘Digital Disruption – Unleashing the Next Wave of Innovation’ says that digital disruption is about improving the experience of end users and customers using digital technologies.
Putting digital technologies in the hands of the physicians and patients, therefore, becomes central to digital disruption in healthcare. Value would be realised from seeing what patients need and delivering it in such a way that it enhances the entire physician-patient experience.
However, the healthcare industry has been a slow adopter of technology applications mainly due to its fragmented and highly complex systems. In addition, physicians and other healthcare providers have always been the custodians of patient information and data. With the advent of Internet of Things (IoT), wearable technology and smart connected devices, patients get an opportunity to take charge of their health and act upon it.
Furthermore, smartphones and mobile apps offer individualized health information and an ability to track patient health metrics powered by data analytics, instead of being locked up in Electronic Health Records (EHR) or not available at all. Increased accessibility to this data enables greater transparency, empowers patients and improves overall patient engagement with their healthcare providers.
Take the case of James, a Type II diabetic for the past 6 years, who uses his glucometer weekly with up to 8 measurements. The measurements are on his device making it very difficult for him or his physician to examine and analyse his data unless he manually enters it to create an online record. To draw some real insights, he would also have to systematically capture detailed data points like date, time, fasting vs. post prandial measurement, activity or food log etc. An altogether unreliable and cumbersome process where he is left with little to no useful information that he can share with his primary care physician (PCP) during his quarterly visit. On the other hand, using a connected glucometer say from iHealthlabs or Roche’s Accu-Chek Aviva Connect , coupled with a fitness tracker would make this process entirely error and hassle free. A seamless experience wherein both James and his PCP can monitor blood glucose levels in their mobile apps in real time and ensure they are under control a lot faster than would have been possible earlier.
Priya, a 22 year old Asthmatic suffers from attacks every now and then, the severity of which can vary depending on the triggers. Unfortunately, she has no accurate data on where and why the attacks occur as well as frequencies and medication dose. IoT devices like Propeller and CareTRx inhaler attachments have sensors on them that provide valuable information on medication use, environmental exposures and onset of symptoms. A data-driven conversation with her physician can prove to be a life saver for Priya, helping her not only control or prevent a potential asthma attack but also promote medication adherence.
Using device data to generate significant insights about chronic conditions can truly enhance patient interaction with their healthcare providers and advance overall quality of life. What was once a quarterly or bi-annual exercise of getting a health checkup at your ‘doctor’s office’ can become daily and indeed an effortless way to preempt serious health conditions.
Challenges posed to the success of these devices include patient adoption, data integration and privacy, cost, reimbursement and geographic access. But it’s no longer just a buzz word. Many of these IoT or should I dare say Internet of Healthcare (IoH) devices are commercially available today. Preventive health, chronic disease management and a personalized health maintenance experience, all driven and controlled by patients. This is the future and it’s only a matter of time!
Stay tuned for more stories on how technology is positively impacting patient engagement.
I would love to hear your thoughts and comments.
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